18 weeks minus a blip! Life is GREAT! You can do it too 😊

I was drinking upto and sometimes more than ten bottles of wine a week and smoking cigarettes sometimes too. I drank heavily like that for four years, and before that a party weekend drinker.

The first two weeks of stopping I was at a&e convinced I was dying of heart attacks, anxiety was horrendous I imagined how I could go in living with this doom feeling.

Got given Prozac but that made me feel worse so in the bin it went. Diazepam but to take in an emergency, and I can see how they become addictive because they knock you out. So tried not to rely on them. And ended up on 80mg of propranolol which seems to work.

I still have jitters where I'll suddenly feel ill, sweating and anxious but it lasts minute's not days. And happens two or three times a week. And I know it'll get easier.

So hopefully someone reading this, it DOES get better. The first 30 days are HARD. But believe me stay clean and sober and life really gets better.

***********

Well it's been 18 weeks sober, apart from one night at Christmas I got really absolutely drunk and the next day was completely sick! Which really convinced me I do not need to get drunk again EVER. I can't believe I used to feel hungover ALL THE TIME.
What a life, that blip has definitely done it for me. I cannot do that again, it's just not even worth it.

So after that little incident. I must say, I can't believe I could feel better than I did at ten week's sober, and what a mess I was a one and two weeks sober.

People out there please persevere!
I still take propranolol BUT let me tell you, my anxiety attacks, doom feelings, dread, sweats, palpitations, ill feelings washing over me, crying and feeling teary have literally LEFT MY BODY.

I never thought it was possible. The first month I actually wondered how on earth I could live feeling so rubbish and the anxiety was just horrendous.
It takes time for your brain to adjust itself, balance itself again, but it happens.

I have put on weight, not loads but cheese and cakes so delicious, and maybe I'll get in better shape. But I would tell people out there getting off the drink and being healthy, mental health first.
Don't try doing everything at once.
But honestly you can do it.
It's painful at first, but what a difference.
I'm so much happier. And stopping drinking, it gives you perspective about things you never noticed before.
People you don't need in your life. Patterns of negative thoughts you don't need in your life.

Good luck my friends you really can can CAN do it!!! Push through the results are worth it!!

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One glass of red, and then two and then I felt ok for more, and before I knew it I had woke up with that dreaded feeling of 'what did I do last night?!'
It's quite easy to overindulgence and get carried away at Christmas, we had friends over for a party!! Silly me!!

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